Sri Lanka: One Island Two Nations

Monday, September 28, 2015

Cambodia is cracking down on internet, mobile phone usage

A young Cambodian uses a public computer in a internet cafe on April 9, 2014 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Leaked to the media for the first time on 9 April 2014, the draft of Cambodia's first-ever cybercrime law, in the pipelines since May 2012, is being criticised by international and local human rights organisations for severely restricting freedom of expression online. Article 28 in particular is being criticised for including vague provisions that could be used to silence Cambodian citizens, such as Article 28(3), which prohibits publications 'deemed to generate insecurity, instability and political cohesiveness,' and Article 28(4), which prohibits publications which 'slanders or undermined the integrity of any governmental agencies.' Both of these provisions carry with them sentences of 1 to 3 years in prison. Internet penetration has drastically increased in recent years and is increasingly serving as an outlet and as a source of information in a country where most media are controlled by the ruling party. Cambodia's government is already under criticism for recent crackdowns on protests and human rights activists, and is accused of frequently using provisions in the Criminal Code and other legislation to unjustly silence civil society and journalists. Human rights activists fear that this new law will exacerbate the situation and provide the government with additional tools to silence its critics online.

A young Cambodian uses her smartphone to check a social network in a local restaurant on April 9, 2014 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Leaked to the media for the first time on 9 April 2014, the draft of Cambodia's first-ever cybercrime law, in the pipelines since May 2012, is being criticised by international and local human rights organisations for severely restricting freedom of expression online. Article 28 in particular is being criticised for including vague provisions that could be used to silence Cambodian citizens, such as Article 28(3), which prohibits publications 'deemed to generate insecurity, instability and political cohesiveness,' and Article 28(4), which prohibits publications which 'slanders or undermined the integrity of any governmental agencies.' Both of these provisions carry with them sentences of 1 to 3 years in prison. Internet penetration has drastically increased in recent years and is increasingly serving as an outlet and as a source of information in a country where most media are controlled by the ruling party. Cambodia's government is already under criticism for recent crackdowns on protests and human rights activists, and is accused of frequently using provisions in the Criminal Code and other legislation to unjustly silence civil society and journalists. Human rights activists fear that this new law will exacerbate the situation and provide the government with additional tools to silence its critics online.

By Alexandra Demetrianova-Sep 28, 2015

THERE have been conflicting views and opinions about the Cambodian government’s recent implementation of new cyber security measures, which puts internet and cell-phone users and sales under stricter control. The directive from police and the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications will see a crackdown on all retailers of SIM cards and internet service providers who don’t register customers through identification documents before selling them their products. If they fail, they will face arrest. Telecom firms also have to register their existing subscribers with ID documents within three months, or their mobile phone numbers and internet packages will be terminated. The mandatory registration of SIM cards and internet service has been in existence since 2012, but has never been enforced.

Cambodia is Cracking Down on Internet, Mobile Phone Usage by Thavam Ratna